Before and After

Alfred had his tongue tie operation done last week. Well, so far we didn’t see any improvement on Alfred speech or vocal. Doc said his vocal sound had been fixed since he is few months old when he is learning to interact with the first sound. We know it hard to change his pronunciation of word and it need some time or maybe a speech therapy might be needed later. Here, I posted a few photo of him before and after the operation.

Alfred showing his tongue. His tongue couldn't reach out of his lip

Being examing by nurse

Any fever before operation?

After changed to his operation suit

On the run..

A photo with mommy

Doc checked on Alfred

After operation, Alfred complaint, Mommy, my hand hurts!!

Still able to pose for mommy in sad face

2 hours after operation, he look happier

Showing mommy pancake and love..

Guess who is lining up the chair?

Finally, his tongue is over the lips

I posted this on facebook but I would like to also elaborate here about what had happen to Alfred’s operation bills. The day when I was discharge from the hospital, I was shocked to see the total bill amount RM4000. On last Saturday, Alfred follow up session with the surgeon, I highlighted Alfred medical bill are highly charged coz as doc mentioned earlier, the operation only needed about RM 2000. I wonder what the surgery supplies charges that cost me over RM2000 for a 10 minutes surgery. I confronted doc and to his surprised, he immediately confirm that there is something wrong with the bill. Doc wanted me to put up a complaint letter on this matter so that he could follow up this case for me. And I did. On Tuesday, upon submitting the complaint letter, doc personally brings me to Operation & Management Manager. I was promise to be given answer on the same day. After investigation done, it is proven that the admission clerk had done an error on keying in the wrong charge code which makes the surgical supplies come up to RM2000. The actual surgical supplies charges are only RM1.92 and another RM90 is added to the medical supplies charges. Overall, the bill reduces from RM4000 to RM2000. The next day, the account manager and OM assistant manager came to my office with a bouquet of flower and fruit for an apology and sending me the new bill. So, never hesitated to ask about your medical bill when you find a nuisance charges is made to the bill.

Not a single tear

I feel that Alfred had grown up so much after he becomes a big bro. He was a champ last Saturday when he had his check up with the paediatric doc because he didn’t even shed a single tears when the doc was about to check him up. Overall, he is good except for his flu due to the enlarge adenoid. He was suggested to have his adenoid removed by our ENT doc after an x-ray was done but was not recommended by our peadiatric doc. Pead doc said the surgery is needed if only Alfred frequently having fever and heavy disruption in sleeping like stop breathing or sleep apnea. He commented that Alfred is still too young for adenoid surgery. Maybe when he reach approximately 4 to 5 year old, when the adenoid enlarging is still occur, then surgery might be needed. He recommended that Alfred flu can be control with medicine and nasal spray. We try out the nasal spray and we see improvement in him. He got less flu and had a better sleep if he had his nasal spray before he sleep or when he had a nose block. If the surgery could be avoided, it would be better.

Picture taken 2 weeks ago. YUCK!! A big balloon from his nose

However, Alfred couldn’t escape from surgery either. Alfred will have ankyloglossia operation tomorrow. Ankyloglossia, commonly known as tongue tie. It is affecting his speech which we discover lately when he is learning to speak. The surgeons, Dr Lee doesn’t guarantee it would change his vocal after the surgery because the operation should be done from birth till 6 months. We didn’t know that his heart-shaped tongue is one of the obvious symptoms. Anyway, we hope it would help to improve his articulation and speech after the surgery. The healing may take approximately few days after the surgery is done. It will involve half a day stay at hospital. Please pray for Alfred for fast recovery.